[MSN] Canada. Award offered for medals. A $5,000 reward has been offered to anyone who returns legendary B.C. boxer Harold Mann’s boxing medals, which were stolen from a locked and sealed display case at the Exploration Place sometime between May 15 and May 29.

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

Award offered for medals
By Tyler Clarke
Free Press, Jul 13 2007

A $5,000 reward has been offered to anyone who returns legendary B.C. boxer Harold Mann’s boxing medals, which were stolen from a locked and sealed display case at the Exploration Place sometime between May 15 and May 29.

The $5,000 reward is being offered through five contributers, at $1,000 a group. Ben and Elaine Meisner of Opinion 250, Randy and Joyce Lloyd of Cycle North, Carlo and Dawn Calfa of Riverstone Bar and Grill and Steamers Pub, the Fraser Fort George Museum Society, and Mann’s current employer, Craig Wood of Wood Wheaton Chevrolet Olds have all contributed to the reward.

“This is not the only thing he’s done,” he’s also donated to the hall of fame, Mann said of his employer.

Although Exploration Place executive director Tracy Calogheros said that “RCMP has no intention of stopping investigations,” she hopes this cash reward will be incentive for someone to come forward.

The reward is to be presented should anyone return the medals to either the Exploration Place or the RCMP. Anonymous tips can still be submitted to Crimestoppers.

The theft, Mann describes as “heartbreaking” for his family, because he’d planned the medals to serve as a family heirloom.

“I appreciate everyone’s effort to get my medals back,” he added, hoping everyone’s efforts will pay off.

Although the premises were monitored by Curtis Elite cameras 24/7 during the time of the incident, the Exploration Place have managed to step up security even further in order to ensure such an incident does not happen again.

They’ve strengthened a previous policy which allowed employees to be alone in the building. They’ve also hired extra staff, including a security guard on duty during evening hours.

The Curtis Elite cameras are also live online, “so someone is always looking in on our building,” Calogheros said.

“It’s an assault on our history and sense of community,” Calogheros said.

The stolen medals include three Canadian Amateur Boxing gold medals from 1958, 1961, and 1962, and a gold medal from the light middle-weight boxing division of the 1962 Perth Australia British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games medal is particularly valuable to Mann, because “I was the only B.C. boxer to do that... so I’m proud of myself,” he said. 

http://www.pgfreepress.com